In: Forschung Sprache, 2019, no. 3, p. 3-24

Background: Based on unsatisfactory results from the evaluation of screening instruments to identify beginning stuttering in the German speaking area, an optimised version of the RedeflussKompass as well as the newly developed StotterKompass were subject to an intensive review. Question/goals: The analysis aimed to explore quality characteristics of the above mentioned tools as well as to...

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of cognitive skills (executive function), language factors (listening comprehension, English as a second language, ESL) and kindergarten attendance on early numeracy in a cross-sectional sample of South African children (N=442) in the beginning of Grade 1. The mean age of children was 81.62 months (SD=5.40). Structural equation path models...

The issue of refugees is very topical and controversial in the media and in public debate. An important question is how it affects especially the children and adolescents. In the present study, based on data from 1999 to 2016, the Zurich education statistics were examined to what extent these children and adolescents complete an unusual school career. In almost all categories, children from...

In: Language Testing, 2020, p. 1-22

This article reports on a study seeking evidence of validity according to the socio- cognitive framework (Weir, 2005) for a new sentence repetition test (SRT) for young Deaf L1 Swiss German Sign Language (DSGS) users. SRTs have been developed for various purposes for both spoken and sign languages to assess language development in children. In order to address the need for tests to assess the...

In: Mind, Brain, and Education, 2019, p. 1-7

While feedback is a key facilitator of learning, researchers have yet to determine the ideal feedback process for optimal performance in learners. The current study investigates the combined effects of ease of decoding, and utility of feedback during learning. Accuracy and rate of learning were recorded alongside changes to the feedback related negativity (FRN), an event‐related potential...

Teaching, training, and assessment for sign language interpreters in Swiss German sign language (DSGS) developments since 1985 have resulted in the current Bachelor level at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Special Needs Education (HfH). More recently, co-teaching with Zurich University of Applied Sciences, School of Applied Linguistics (ZHAW) non-deaf linguists in linguistics and...

In: BMC Palliative Care, 2016, p. 1-11

Background: Empirical knowledge around palliative care provision and needs of people with intellectual disabilities is extremely limited, as is the availability of research resources, including expertise and funding. This paper describes a consultation process that sought to develop an agenda for research priorities for palliative care of people with intellectual disabilities in Europe....

This study reports on the use of an open-source software for sign language learning and (self-) assessment. A Yes/No vocabulary size test for Swiss German Sign Language (Deutschschweizerische Gebärdensprache, DSGS) was developed, targeting beginning adult learners. The Web-based test, which can be used for self- assessment or placement purposes, was administered to 20 DSGS adult learners of ...

In: Language Education & Assessment, 2019, vol. 2, no. 1, p. 20-40

In German Switzerland the learning and assessment of Swiss German Sign Language (Deutschschweizerische Gebärdensprache, DSGS) takes place in different contexts, for example, in tertiary education or in continuous education courses. By way of the still ongoing implementation of the Common European Framework of Reference for DSGS, different tests and assessment procedures are currently been ...

In: Science Advances, 2019, vol. 5, no. 3, p. 1-14

The maintenance of items in working memory relies on persistent neural activity in a widespread network of brain areas. To investigate the influence of load on working memory, we asked human subjects to maintain sets of letters in memory while we recorded single neurons and intracranial encephalography (EEG) in the medial temporal lobe and scalp EEG. Along the periods of a trial, hippocampal...